THE HIGH School of Dundee has had the 45 tickets it snapped up for a planned school trip to a Newcastle-Barcelona game cancelled by the club after an extensive fan backlash.
The school had already sent a memo out to parents informing them of the trip and asking for payment and consent forms, but the club made the decision to cancel the tickets.
The school reportedly purchased the tickets days before Newcastle fans – who pay up to £47 per year for ticket priority – even had the opportunity to buy tickets, prompting outrage among fan groups.
It is understood that the tickets were purchased by the school from fans who were engaging in unauthorised reselling, and who have now had their season tickets cancelled.
Newcastle United don’t have an authorised reseller, and the only method for reselling tickets is to sell them at face value on the club’s official platform, meaning many attempt to resell through unauthorised third parties.
Thousands of accounts are on an internal watchlist at the club for potential botting and unauthorised reselling.
Directly after the news broke that the tickets had been sold to the school, the Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) expressed indignation, as the news came just after they had been hearing reports of 100,000 supporters queuing for hours on the website for tickets.
The trust shared a picture online of an apparent memo sent out to parents at the school and said: “We have been inundated with messages regarding a school in Dundee being given 45 tickets for the Barcelona fixture.
“With >100k in today’s member sale queue and countless tickets on third party sites at vastly inflated prices, we completely understand the ongoing frustration from our members and the wider fanbase.”
A day later, NUST appeared to be vindicated in the saga, as it celebrated the news of the tickets’ cancellation and the swift response by Newcastle United to third party ticket trading.
The trust said: “With other Premier League Clubs known to have involvement with third party sites and with such high demand for tickets at St. James’ Park, we welcome Newcastle United taking such visible action to deter and penalise those who may be profiteering from other fans, or in this baffling case, a number of pupils from Dundee.
“Ticketing can be a divisive subject, but we feel united in the stance that tickets belong in the hands of genuine Newcastle United supporters and thank the club for their approach to those who misuse the system.
“We will continue to request transparency across all ticketing procedures.”
STV News has reported that two other schools in Dundee have acquired tickets for the game.
It is unclear whether their tickets will be affected by the cancellations.
A statement by the club said: “These tickets will be made available to Newcastle United supporters through the club’s existing ticket sale process.”
A spokesperson for the School said:
“The High School of Dundee bought the tickets from an approved provider as part of a group package. Yesterday the School was informed by the approved provider that the tickets have been cancelled.”
Newcastle United face FC Barcelona at 8pm on Thursday 18 September.
